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D DIVISION – JUNE 9

 

WHITCHURCH ended a three-match losing sequence when they refused to buckle against promotion hopefuls Dartington & Totnes and held out for a respectable draw.

   And they held on despite losing Mark Warwick, who had to go to hospital for a check over after top edging a ball into his forehead while batting.

   Dartington & Totnes clearly thought they had got enough after racing to 279 for five – Tom Williamson cracking a century – and the way Whitchurch have been playing it's easy to see why.

   Williamson, who made 109, put on 109 for the first wicket with James Palmer (19) in the DF&T total. Johnny Marrion added 42 and Bertus Loots 37 down the order. Steve Lavis (2-70) plugged away with the ball for Whitchurch.

   Loots (4-37) posed problems with the ball when Whitchurch batted, but nothing that Nigel Barriball (58) and Matt Witcher (61) couldn't cope with.

   Wayfarers shut up shop 10 overs out and went safety first from 175 to 196 for seven at the close.

   Lewdown rediscovered some of the form that has eluded them in recent weeks by taking the best of a draw from their Moorland derby date with Bridestowe.

   The Lewdown batters hit top gear with Ed Squire (56) and Jack Skuse (58) making half centuries in a total of 252 for eight. Dave Ball (250 and Cark Weeks (29) supplied usefull support.

   Gary Sizmur, back with Bridestowe after a spell with Whitchurch last season, claimed four for 57.

   Sizmur then top scored in the Bridestowe reply with 54 and Phil Hatton chipped in with 40. Lewdown's bowlers. In particular Ball (2-32) and Addy Clements (4-30) kept the runs down and soon had Bridestowe lagging behind the clock.

   Ten overs out, and with more than 70 needed to win with three wickets intact, Bridestowe pulled up the ladder and plodded to the draw at 212 for eight.

   Woodland Fort took a draw from their meeting with Lustleigh, who finished just a little too close for comfort when chasing 205 to win.

   Skipper Mike Burnett's run of form continued with 57 – he and Paul Rowe (24) made 88 for the fourth wicket – and there were runs from Matt McKay (38) and Marc Humphries (33) in a total of 204 all out.

   Gerard Starling (3-50) toiled away at the early order with Nigel Sawry-Cookson (3-9) mopping up later.

   Shaun Wright was run out for 60 as Lustleigh made a big effort to go for the runs, but could have done with a bit more support at the other end.

   Mike Sessions whacked 47 not out late on as Lustleigh got down to the final over from Jamie Reynolds (2-46) needing 12 to win. They only managed four and finished on 197 for seven.

   Lee Curtis hit an unbeaten century to tee Ipplepen up for a 127-run win at Chelston.

   Ipplepen finished with a hefty 260 for seven at Torre Valley North, which was substantially more than they looked like reaching at one stage.

   When Steve Bowden (29no) came out to join Curtis the Pens were 174 for seven and between them they added 84 before the close.

   Earlier, Simon Tapley (31), Tom Cooper (20) and Matt Quartley (36) had laid some handy foundations for Chelston. Bowling-wise, Phil Hunt had two for 51 while the usually reliable Howard Carter went for 72 from his 13 overs, possibly not helped by some weary legs in the field   by the end.

   Bowden tore into Chelston's batting with vigour and had five for 15 to help pack them, off for 133.   Paul Thomas and Curtis were the supporting bowlers with two wickets each.

   The only Chelston batsmen to offer worthwhile resistance were Viv Kulkarni (29) and Mike Burdett (19).

   Chagford snatched previously unbeaten Hatherleigh's   record off them in a thrilling last-over finish.

   Hatherleigh, chasing 242 to win, were never likely to win after subsiding to 121 for eight. Once Darryl Barnes (44) and Gareth Tidball (20) had gone, Josh Rankin (5-26), Paul Wakefield (3-28) and Jeremy Christophers (2-42) worked through   the middle order with ease.

   The stumbling block was Hatherleigh captain Simon Gillespie (37no), who blocked   for all he was worth.   Christophers took the 10 th and last wicket in the final over – that's how close it was.

   Colin Mortimore was the top scorer for Chagford with 77 not out in a total of 241 for four. Rankin (59) put on 82 with Mortimore, who also had support from John Coburn (23) and Christophers (34) pushing the score along.